Elderly suicide trends in the context of transforming China, 1987–2014

Abstract

In the context of rapid ageing, understanding the time-trend of elderly suicide (ES) could inform China’s efforts on suicide prevention. We examined time-trends in Chinese ES rates (ESRs) from 1987 to 2014, a period of profound social changes. Suicide rates by residence (rural/urban), gender, and 5-year age-group (65+) in 1987–2014 were provided by the Chinese Ministry of Health. Time-trends were analyzed with joinpoint analysis. The time-trend of national ESRs was downward (average annual percent change [AAPC] = −3.7, P < 0.001): 76.6/100000 in 1987 and 30.2/100000 in 2014. However, the time-trend of corresponding percentages of ESs among the total suicides was monotonically increasing (AAPC = 3.4, P < 0.001): 16.9% in 1987 to 41.2% in 2014. The time-trends in ESRs of both rural and urban men and women were decreasing, but only the rural trends were significant (P < 0.001). Rural-urban and male-female differences in ESRs were decreasing over time (slope = −4.2 and −3.0, P ≤ 0.006), but the rural-urban and male-female ESR differences in 2014 remained large (16.3/100000 and 9.8/100000, P < 0.001). While national ESRs decreased significantly during the past three decades, the current ESR remains high in China. Further, the age-pattern of Chinese suicide is transitioning to elderly predominance. ES, particularly rural ES, should be a public health priority in China.

Measuring character strengths as possible protective factors against suicidal ideation in older Chinese adults: a cross-sectional study

“…Last, our results indicated that gender was insignificantly associated with suicidal ideation in the current sample, which was inconsistent with previous studies claiming that the Chinese female group experience a greater risk of suicide than the male group [69,70]. However, a recent study has demonstrated a downward trend of national male-female differences in elderly suicide rates in China [71]. One possible reason lies in the marked magnitude of differences between urban and rural areas [72].…”

“…The differences between male-female suicide rates in rural areas have been decreasing. Thus, the national male-female differences reduced, whereas the urban male-female differences increased [71]. However, further examinations are needed.…”

“…One possible reason lies in the marked magnitude of differences between urban and rural areas [72]. Rural male-female differences among the elderly contributed most to the national male-female differences in China [71]. The differences between male-female suicide rates in rural areas have been decreasing.…”

Loneliness in Chinese older adults in primary care: prevalence and correlates

“…It is now the country with the largest number of older adults (OA) aged 65 years or over in the world (143.86 million in 2015) and, by 2050, this OA population will grow to 336 million, accounting for nearly one-third of the total Chinese population. [1][2][3] The rapidly increasing ageing population has posed significant challenges to health care and social services for the elderly in China where infrastructure is still underdeveloped, in particular rural areas, to manage the growing needs of this population. 4 Furthermore, the profound socioeconomic-cultural changes that have occurred in China during the past three decades pose challenges for the mental health of Chinese OA.…”

Peer Review #1 of "Quality of life of older Chinese adults receiving primary care in Wuhan, China: a multi-center study (v0.2)"

“…China is ageing much faster than almost any other country in the world in recent history, and, until now, it has been the nation with the largest number of older adult population. In 2017, the total number of Chinese older adults (65+) had reached 158.31 million, over one-tenth of China's total population, and by 2050, this number will reach 336 million, nearly one-third of the total population (National Bureau of Statistics of China 2018; Zhong et al 2016a). However, the infrastructure of China has not been prepared to meet older adults' growing needs for healthcare and social services.…”